U.S. Reps. Shomari Figures of Alabama and Mike Ezell of Mississippi have teamed up to introduce the Bridge Investment and Modernization Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at extending and expanding federal funding for bridge infrastructure projects through 2031.

Filed last week, the proposed legislation seeks to reform the 2021 Bridge Infrastructure Program by streamlining access to federal dollars for state and local governments working to complete major transportation projects. Among teh high-priority efforts the bill could benefit is the Interstate 10 Mobile River Bridge and Bayway Project — a long-planned initiative connecting Mobile, Alabama, and coastal Mississippi.

“This bill is a step in the right direction toward real advancements in projects like the I-10 Bridge and Bayway Project in my hometown of Mobile, Alabama,” Figures said. “This will help communities be better connected by working to ensure the completion of infrastructure projects all across America.”

The I-10 corridor is a critical freight and commuter route for the Gulf Coast region, and officials on both sides of the state line have long pushed for its expansion. The Bridge and Bayway Project has faced years of planning delays, community concerns, and funding challenges, but it remains a top infrastructure priority for the area.

Ezell said the new legislation is part of a broader effort to address those concerns and help move the project forward.

“Improving our infrastructure means safer travel, stronger communities and a better economy,” Ezell said. “The I-10 Bridge and Bayway Project is vital to the Gulf Coast, and this bipartisan bill helps make sure it gets done. I’m proud to work with Rep. Figures to deliver the improvements Alabama, Mississippi and the rest of the country need.”

The measure has also been formally submitted to the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Portal for potential inclusion in the next reauthorization package. That legislation, which outlines long-term transportation spending priorities, is expected to be finalized later this year or in early 2026.